A design created by a Newcastle College student has been chosen as the official t-shirt for the College’s first ever ‘Blue Wave’ at the 2026 Great North 5km and 10km runs.
Frank Taylor, a Level 3 Graphic Design student, created the winning design which will now be worn by up to 500 students and staff taking part in the iconic North East running events later this year.
The College launched the internal competition as part of plans for its biggest ever involvement in the Great North Run weekend, with participants from Newcastle College, Newcastle Sixth Form College and Professional Services all set to take part.
Following weeks of submissions and a large-scale judging process involving more than 50 staff and students, Frank’s design was selected as the clear winner, with judges praising its balance of style and practicality.
As part of his prize, Frank will receive the first t-shirt from the production run ahead of the wider rollout to runners in June.
The Newcastle College ‘Blue Wave’ will see hundreds of students and staff line up together at the start line of the Great North 5km and 10km runs, creating a major Newcastle College presence at one of the region’s most iconic events while celebrating community spirit, teamwork and wellbeing.
Alongside runners taking part in the event, College volunteers will also support activity across the day, helping to create a memorable experience for participants and spectators alike.
Commenting on his chosen design, Frank said: “I wanted to create something that looked clean, modern and professional while still standing out visually.
“A lot of the running shirt designs I researched felt quite plain, so I wanted to create something with a bit more personality while still feeling wearable and professional.
“Overall, I was really happy with how the shirt turned out because the final outcome matched exactly what I had imagined when I first started designing it.”
The official Blue Wave t-shirts are now being prepared for production ahead of the 10km event in July.